Type-writer.



No. 654,2l7. Patented July 24, I900. F. H. ARMSTRONG.

TYPE WRITER.

(Application filed Feb. 5, 1900.

6 Sheets-Sheet (No Model.)

B, mwmf Patented July 24, I900.

F. H. ARMSTRONG.

TYPE WRITER.

(Appl c fildFb 5 1900 6 Sheets-Shea! 2.

(No Model.)

Nu. 654,2!7. Patented m 24, I900.

F. H. ARMSTRONG.

T YP E W B I T E B (Application filed Feb. 6, 1900.

(No Model.)

6 Sheets-Sheet 3,

N0. 654,2!7. Patented July 24; I900. F. H. ARMSTRONG.

TYPE WRITER.

(Apphcemon filed Feb. 5, 1900. (No Model.) 6 Sheets8heei 4.

qi [/VVENTOR WITNESSES: M 8

A/Iomey N0. 654,2I7. Patented July 2 4, I900.

F. H. ARMSTRONG.

TYPE WRITER.

(Application filed Feb. 5, 1900. (No Model.)

6 Sheets-Sheei 5.

F. H. ARMSTRONG.

Patented July 24, I900.

TYPE WRITER.

(Application filed Feb. 5, 1900.1

6 Sheets-Sheet 6,

(No Model.)

[NVENTOR Afforneyn mes ST TES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK H. ARMSTRONG, OF AUBURN, NEW: YORK.

TYPE-WRITER.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Batent No. 654,217, dated July 24,1900. Application filed February 5, 1900. Serial No. 4,0;3. (No model.)

My invention is an improvement in type writing machines; and it consistsin the novel features hereinafter described, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings,which illustrate one form in which 1 havecontemplated embodying my invention, and said invention is fullydisclosed in the following description and claims.

Referring to the said drawings, Figure 1 represents a top plan view ofmy improved machine. Fig. 2 represents a vertical longitudinal sectionof the same, parts beingshown in elevation. Fig. 2 is a detail view of avertical standard adapted to be secured to the machine-frame. Fig. 3 isa view showing the type-segment and carriage moved rearwardly intoprinting position. Fig. 4 represents a horizontal sectional view of Fig.2 on the line 4 4:. Fig. 5 is a detail view, partly in section, showingone form of mechanism for raising the paper-carriageand printing-plateso as to cause the upper row of characters on the printing-segment toprint. Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of the apparatusshown in Fig. 5. Fig. Tis a detail perspective view of the bell-cranklever for causing the rearward movement of the carriage andtype-segment. Fig. 8 is a top plan view of the printing-segment, aportion being broken'away and another position of said segment beingindicated in dotted lines. Fig. 9 is a plan view of the location-armsand location-pins, a different position of said arms being indicated indotted lines. Fig-1O is a detail of part of the paper-carriage feed. Fi11 is a detail sectional view showing the connection between the segmentand its supporting-sleeve. Fig. 12 is a detail View illustrating theconnection between one of the keylevers and its location-pin.

In the drawings, A represents the bed plate or platen of the machine,and B represents the portions of the main frame secured to and extendingabove the platen A..

0 represents the horizontally-movable car riage which carries thetype-segment, which carriage consists in this instance of a sleeveadapted to slide on a guide-bar O, mounted rigidly in vertical supports0, secured to the platen A. The sleeve C may be provided at each endwith ball-bearings, (indicated at c,)

ifdesired,to reduce friction toa minimun1,and

standard D in a vertical position during its backward and forwardmovements.

D represents a shaft which extends upward from the standard D, andonthis shaft is mounted a sleeve E, which carries at its upper end thetype-segment F, the lockingsegment G, and the location-arms H H, saidparts being formed integrally with the sleeve E or formed separately andsecured thereto,as may be found most desirable.

I prefer to make the segment F separate from the sleeve and to secure itthereto by means of a spring-arm a, secured to a plate 6, which isconnected to the said sleeve, the said spring-arm e being adapted to liebetween lugs f f, formed on the upper face of the segment F. Thisconstruction enables the segment to be moved very slightly with respectto the sleeve E when necessary to avoid straining the parts.

The location-arms H H are rigidly secured to or formed integrally withthe sleeve E and extend laterally on both sides of the same,

being preferably curved, as shown in Fig. 9,

and each armH is provided with a curved I slot h, as shown, extendingsubstantially throughout its length, the said slots being adapted toreceive the location-pins, hereinafter described.

I represents a series of vertically-movable location rods or pins, whichare mounted in suitable guiding-apertures formed in the framework of themachine, the said pins being arranged in curved lines directly beneaththe slots h of the location-arms H, so that when the carriage is in itsforward position the upward movement of any one of the pins I willproject it through the slot h of one of the location-arms H.

K K represent the key-levers, which are mounted in slots formed in theupper part of a block K, extending transversely across the front portionof the machine-frame. A transverse rod It extends through the upper partof the block K and forms the pivot for all of the levers K. Each of thekey-levers K is provided at its forward end with a fingerpiece It, asusual. Each of the key-levers K is pivotally connected directly orindirectly with one of the vertically-movable location pins or rods I,so that the first portion of the downward movement of the finger-pieceof each key-lever produces a corresponding upward movement of the rearportion of the lever, and thereby projects its pin I through the slot hof one of the location-arms H. As indicated in Fig. 12, I prefer toconnect the levers K and pins I by providing each pin I with a centralslotted portion 1', through which one of the leversK extends, thusforming substantially a pivotal connection which cannot get out oforder. The projection of the pin I through the slot of the locationarmis the first effect produced by the movement of any of the key-levers K,and, conversely, the removal of the pin from the slot in thelocation-arm will be the last effect produced by the lever in returningto its normal position. It will be seen that if one of the pins isprojected upward through the slot in one of the location-arms H and thecarriage carrying the location-arm and the printingscgment is then movedrearward the said pin I will form a pivotal connection with the 10-cation-arm which it engages, and as the carriage moves rearward thesleeveE and the segment F will be caused to rotate upon the shaft D, soas to bring one or another of the type on the segment in line with theaxis of rotation of the segment. The position of the location-pin whichis thrown up into engagement with one of the location-arms willtherefore determine the character on the segment which will beimpressed.

I provide the following mechanism for causing the rearward movement ofthe carriage and type-segment by the depression of any one of thekey-levers K.

L represents a bell-crank lever (shown in detail in Fig. '7) providedwith downwardlyextending bifurcated arms land a substantially-horizontalarm Z, the said lever being mounted upon a pivot lfljournaled in themain frame of the machine.

L represents a bar which extends transversely of the machine a shortdistance above this cross-bar L.

all of the key-levers K, (see Fig. 2,) so that when any one of thekey-levers has been depressed far enough to throw its location-pin Iinto engagement with one of the locationarms H, the rear end of saidlever will engage The bifurcated arms I of the bell-crank lever straddlethe carriage (J and are connected therewith at their lower ends by ayoke L, the forward end of which is pivoted to said carriage at Z Itwill thus be seen that when any one of the levers K engages thecross-barL the further movement of said lever will move said cross-barupward, and thereby move the carriage rearward, carrying with it theprinting-segment and cansing the partial rotation of said segment in onedirection or the other and for a distance determined by the particularpin I which has been thrown into engagement with one of thelocation-arms. The carriage O is returned to its normal position by thespring 0', which also serves to return the key-levers to their normalpositions. I may, however, provide each key-lever with aretractingspring, if found desirable.

In order to positively lock the segment when it has reached the extremeof its rearward movement and insure the impression being made at aparticular printing-point, I provide the sleeve E' or the segment F withthe locking-plate G, before referred to, the rear face of which is inthe form of a segment concentric with the rear face of the segment F andprovided with a series of lockingnotches g, each of which correspondswith one of the type on the printing-segment. G

represents a locking-stud which is preferably V V-shaped in horizontalcross-section and is adapted to engage one of the notches g g of thelocking-plate whenever the segment is moved rearwardly, thisconstruction insuring the proper horizontal alinement of the characterselected by the key-lever and location pin and arm, as before described.

M represents the paper-carriage, which is capable of slidingtransversely of the machine and is also capable of a slight verticalmove ment sufficient to shift the printing-line of the paper from thehorizontal plane of one row of characters on the printing-segment to thenext row above it. In the present instance I have shown the segment Fprovided with a lower row of type f and an upper row of type f, which Ishall refer to hereinafter as the lower-case and upper-case,respectively. Any suitable mechanism may be provided for elevating thecarriage M. In the presentinstance I have shown two horizontaltransverse shafts N N, mounted in the frame of the machine and providedwith a series of arms 41., carrying friction-rollers n, engaging theunder side of the carriage M. Each of said shafts N is provided with arocking arm N, rigidly secured thereto and having a slotted portion 11at its free end.

N represents a transverse shaft provided with forwardly-extending arms Nprovided with studs N which engage the slotted portions of thelocking-arms N.

N represents an upper-case lever mounted similarly to the levers K andupon the pivotal rod 7c thereof and having its rear end extending underone of the studs N previously described, for the purpose of raising it,and

thereby raising the carriage M, as clearly shown in Fig. 5. The carriageM is provided with a pair of paper-feeding rollers M M, and saidcarriage is also provided with a horizontal bar M preferably of thekeyhole shape indicated in cross-section in Figs. 2 and 5. On this baris mounted a block 0, provided with an aperture through which the bar Mcan slide, the said block having a rearwardlyextending portion 0,adapted to slide vertically in a slot 19 in a verticalstandard P, whichis rigidly secured to the machine-frame, in this instance, by beingsecured to a square cross-bar Q by means of a set-screw 9. (See Figs. 2and 5.) The standard P prevents the lateral movement of the block 0, butpermits it to move vertically with the carriage M and thecross-barltliconnected with said carriage. Upon the block 0 is mountedwhat I term the impression-plate R, which is a star-shaped plateprovided with a series of narrow blunt points r, the ends of which formthe surfaces which receive the shock of the impression when the printingsegment is moved rearwardly into printing position. I prefer to formthese points or impression-faces of rubher; but they may be formed ofother material,if desired. The impression-plate R is revolubly mountedon the block 0, being placed on a stud, and it is adjusted so that oneof its printing-points is in position to engage the printing characterof the segment F. The plate R is clamped in the desired position upontheblock O by means of a set-screw r on a threaded portion of the saidstud. It will be observed that when one of the printing-faces of theprinting-plate has become worn it is only necessary to turn the plateslightly to bring a fresh surface into printing position, and when allof the surfaces have become worn the impression-plate R can be renewed.The printing-surfaces of the impression-plate R are normally in ahorizontal plane of the lower case of type on the segment F. \Vhen,however, the upper-case key is operated, the carriage will be elevated,as before described, thus carrying the paper and the impression-plateupward and bringing the latter into the horizontal plane of the uppercase of type, as will be readily understood.

Any suitable mechanism may be provided for feeding the paper-carriage Mtransversely of the machine. In the present instance I have shown thecarriage provided with a toothed-bar M (See Fig. 10.)

S represents an escapement-lever provided with two arms .9 and s forengaging the notched bar M and an operating-ram s S represents aspring-which engages a stud s on the lever S. v

T represents a bar. secured rigidly to the standard D and adapted toengage the operating-arm s of the escapement-lever S to effect the feedof the carriage one tooth Whenever the carriage O and printing-segmentare moved rearwardly into printing position.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that whenever theoperator depresses one of the keys K its location-pin I will be thrownup into engagement with one of the location-arms H and the carriage Oand segment F will be moved rearwardly, thereby turning the segment intoposition to bring the proper character in line with the printing-face ofthe impression-plate R, where it will be locked by the engagementof thelocking-stud G with the locking-plate G and an impression of the desiredcharacter will be made upon the paper, which is held in a verticalposition by the feed-rollers M M in front of the impression-plate R.Upon the operator releasing the keys the spring C causes the carriage Oto move forward into its normal position, thereby drawing forward thelower.

end of arm L and depressing the cross-bar L, which pushes down the rearportion of the key-lever just previously operated and restores itquickly to nearly its normal position. The rear ends of all the leversare longer and heavier than the portions forward of their points ofpivoting, and the levers drop readily into their normal positions afterbeing returned by the cross-bar L in the manner just indicated. In orderto lock the printing-segment in its forward position, I provide a ta'pering projection U, (see Fig. 4,) secured to a stationary part of theframe and adapted to engage a notch II, which in this instance is formedin a part of the sleeve E immediately in front of the inner ends of thelocation-arms. The part U, to which the projection U is secured, mayalso be provided with an elastic buffer to take up the jar of thecarriage in returning to its initial position under the action of itsspring, ifdesired, and I have indicated such a buffer at U immediatelybelow the projection U.

The type on the type-segment may be inked in any desired manner, eitherby inking-rolls (not shown) or by providing an inking-ribbon mountedupon suitable feed-rollers and guides, (not shown,) as is usual intype-writing machines.

WVhat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is i 1. In atype-writer, the combination with a longitudinally-reciprocatingcarriage and a printing-segment pivotally mounted thereon, of alocation-arm pivotally mounted on said carriage and operativelyconnected with said segment, a series of vertically-movablelocation-pins locatedadjacent to the travel of'said location-arm but outof contact therewith, a

series of key-levers operatively connected with said pins for movingthem into position to engage the location arm' and operative connectionsbetween said levers and the carriage for moving itinto printing positionwhereby the type-segment will be revolved during the movement of thecarriage into printing position to bring the desired character inposition to print, substantially as described.

2. In a type-writer, the combination with a longitudinally-reciprocatingcarriage, means for holding said carriage normally at one extreme of itsreciprocation, a type-segment pivotally mounted on said carriage, andlocationarms extending laterally in opposite sides of said carriage,pivotally mounted on said carriage and operatively connected with saidsegment, of a series of location-pins adjacent to but not in contactwith said location-arms, a series of key-levers operatively connectedwith said pins to move them into position to engage said location-arms,operative connections between said levers and said carriage for movingit into printing position whereby said segment will be rotated duringthe movement of the carriage into printing position, to bring thedesired character into position to print, substantially as described.

3. In a type-writer, the combination with thelongitudinally-reciprocating carriage, a printing-segment pivotallymounted thereon, a location-arm pivotally mounted on said carriage,operatively connected with said segment and provided with a longitudinalslot, of a series of vertically-movable location-pins mounted in linewith said slot in the locationarms, a series of key-levers operativelyconnected with said pins for moving them into engagement with said slotand operative connections between said levers and said carriage formoving the carriage into printing position, substantially as described.

4. In a type-writer, the combination with the longitudinally-movablecarriage, a printingsegment pivotally mounted therein, andlaterallyextending location-arms pivotally mounted on said carriageoperatively connected with said segment, and provided with longitudinalslotted portions, of a series of vertically-movable location-pinsmounted in line with the slotted portions of said locationarms but outof cont-act therewith, a series of key-levers each of which is connectedoperatively with one of said pins to move it into engagement with theslotted portion of its adjacent locationarm,mechanism for impartinglongitudinal movement to said carriage to move it into printing positionincluding a transverse bar in the path of and a short distance from eachof said key-levers whereby when a key-lever is depressed its connectedlocation-pin will be moved into engagement with one of saidlocation-arms before the longitudinal movement of the carriage iseffected, substantially as described.

5. In a type-writer, the combination with the longitudinally-movablecarriage, a printing-segment pivotally mounted thereon, alocking-segment connected with said printing-segment and provided with aseries of locking-notches corresponding with characters on saidprinting-segments, and locationarms pivotally mounted on said carriage,operatively connected with said printing-segment, a series oflocation-pins adapted to engage said location-arms, a series ofkey-levers connected with said pins for moving them into position toengage said location-arms, connections between said levers and the saidcarriage for moving the carriage and said printing-segment into printingposition and a locking-projection adapted to engage one of the notchesin said locking-segment, sub= stantially as described.

6. In a type-writer, the combination with a longitudinally-reciprocatingcarriage and a printing-segment pivotally mounted thereon, of alocation-arm pivotally mounted on said carriage and operativelyconnected with said segment, a series of vertically-movablelocation-pins located adjacent to the travel of said location-arms butout of contact therewith, a series of key-levers operatively connectedwith said pins for moving them into position to engage the location-armand operative connections between said levers and the carriage formoving it into printing position whereby the type-segment will berevolved during the movement of the carriage into printing position, tobring the desired character in position to print, means for returningthe said carriage from its printing position to normal position anddevices for centering the segment upon its pivotal connection,substantially as described.

7. In a type-writer, the combination with a longitudinallyercciprocatingcarriage, means for holding said carriage normally at one extreme of itsreciprocation, a type-segment pivotally mounted on said carriage, andlocation-arms extending laterally in opposite sides of said carriage,pivotally mounted on said carriage and operatively connected with saidsegment, of a series of location-pins adjacent to but not in contactwith said location-arms, a series of key-levers operatively connectedwith said pins to move them into position to engage said location-arms,operative connections between said levers and said carriage for movingit into printing position whereby said segment will be rotated duringthe movement of the carriage into printing position, to bring thedesired character into position to print, a part connected with saidsegment provided with a V-shaped notch, and a V- shaped stationaryprojection for engaging said V-shaped notch to center said segment uponits pivotal connection, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

FRANK H. ARMSTRONG.

Witnesses:

NETTIE I. FREESE, W. H. HARRIS.

